This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP 00/00801 which has an International filing date of Feb. 15, 2000, which designated the United States of America.
1. Technological Field
This invention relates to the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium and also the method of using the medium that is difficultly flammable or non-flammable. Furthermore in details this invention is the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium (Electro-Conjugate Fluid=ECF) that forms the moving flow by applying a high DC voltage, moreover the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium that does not ignite even on spark etc. that happens to take place at the time the voltage is applied and can be used with efficiency and safety. It relates to a method of using this homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium.
2. Prior Art
It is disclosed for example in JP-A 9-271188, JP-A 9-208978, JP-A 10-146075, JP-A 9-208977, JP-A 10-88174 etc. that, by applying voltage to a particular insulation liquid, a moving flow of the insulation liquid is formed in correspondence to the applied voltage (the ECF effect).
By the way, it is necessary to apply the high DC voltage of 1KV or above to the electro-sensitive movable medium in order to form the moving flow of such an electro-sensitive movable medium with stability. Motors using the moving flow of this electro-sensitive movable medium are miniaturized characteristically to have an increased energy density supplies and an increased transformation efficiency to transform electricity energy into exercise energy.
Such a miniaturized device will be, however, involved in sparks which happen easily when the voltage is applied because the distance between the electrodes of the device becomes shorter and even little bubbles exists in the device.
It is accordingly desirable to use such an electro-sensitive movable medium that neither degrades nor ignites by sparks that sometimes occur when the voltage is applied, in the case the electro-sensitive movable medium is used for long time.
In JP-A 6-57274 and JP-A 6-73390 is furthermore disclosed the invention relating to an electricity induction composite where a specified fluorine compound is dispersed in an insulating liquid such as silicone oil. The fluorine compounds disclosed in those patent publications is solid at a normal temperature and is insoluble or difficultly soluble in an insulating liquid such as silicone oil. The electricity induction composites disclosed in those patent publications are in a non-homogeneous system where the solid fluorine compound is dispersed finely in the insulating liquid. When a voltage is applied to the electricity induction composite of such a non-homogeneous system, for example, the finely dispersed fluorine compounds align in state of chains and cause the electricity induction composite to have a fluctuated fluid property. In the electricity induction composite of such a non-homogeneous system, the finely dispersed fluorine compound easily settles down and it is difficult to store the liquid stably for a long time. Then an insulating liquid such as silicone oil are involved in problems that, since it has a flash point, this base oil, such as silicone oil, sometimes ignites when sparks happen and degrades in itself with sparks in many occurrences.
The co-inventors have found, advanced from the fundamental characteristic of the electro-sensitive movable medium that forms the moving flow by applying voltage, that the electro-sensitive movable medium is required to be stable, even with sparks that happen at the time of applying voltage, to drive a device using an electro-sensitive movable medium with an applied voltage with stability for long time, thus completing this invention.
This invention provides, for the purpose, an electro-sensitive movable medium to form the moving flow with DC voltage application and also the method of using it.
More in details, the purpose of this invention is to furnish the electro-sensitive movable medium, and the method of using it, that generates the moving flow with DC voltage application by way of electric energy caused by application of DC voltage, which flow may be used as mechanical energy, for example rotational energy.
And, the invention provides, for the purpose, the stable electro-sensitive movable medium, and the method of using it, that does not ignite even if a spark occurs on the high DC voltage application and can make the device operate stably for a long time.
This invention is a homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium comprising at least one liquid organic compound having at least 3 halogen atoms in the molecule thereof, the medium having an electro conductivity in the range of 4xc3x9710xe2x88x9210xcx9c5xc3x9710xe2x88x926 S/m at the operation temperature of the medium and a surface tension of 22 dyn/cm or smaller at the operation temperature of the medium.
As for the halogen atom the fluorine atom is desirable. It is desirable to have no flash point substantially.
The method of using the electro-sensitive movable medium, according to the invention, is characterized by comprising arranging at least one pair of electrodes in the medium and applying an electric voltage of 100Vxcx9c20KV between the pair of electrodes to make the medium move from one electrode toward the other electrode direction.
It is characterized by arranging the medium in a package equipped with at least one pair of electrodes, applying the electric voltage of 100Vxcx9c20KV between the pair of electrodes to form the moving flow of the medium and rotate a rotor, equipped rotatably in the package by the formed flow (For example, it may be used as SE type ECF motor.)
It is characterized by filling a package with the medium, laying at least one pair of electrodes on a rotor equipped rotatably in the package, applying the electric voltage of 100Vxcx9c20KV between the pair of electrodes to form the moving flow of the medium and rotate the rotor by a reaction of the moving flow (For example, it may be used as RE type ECF motor.)
It is characterized by filling a container equipped with at least one pair of electrodes with the medium, placing a washing object and applying the electric voltage of 100Vxcx9c20KV between the pair of electrodes to form moving flow of the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium and bringing the washing object into contact with the moving flow of the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium to wash the washing object (For example, it may be used as a washing device.)
It is characterized by filling, with the medium, a container having a least one pair of electrodes and applying the electric voltage of 100Vxcx9c20KV between the pair of electrodes to form the moving flow of the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium and move the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium to a target position (For example, it may be used as a pump). The moving flow can make it possible to transport heat energy of a high temperature-having part to a low temperature-having part or that of a low temperature-having part to a high temperature-having part. It is also possible to fill a closed circulation system with the medium and applying the electric voltage to the medium to form the moving flow thereof and circulate the medium in the closed circulation system and transport heat energy.
Furthermore this invention provides a power device comprising at least one pair of electrodes and a medium comprising at least one liquid organic compound having at least 3 halogen atoms in the molecule thereof, the medium having an electro conductivity in the range of 4xc3x9710xe2x88x9210xcx9c5xc3x9710xe2x88x926 S/m at the operation temperature of the medium and a surface tension of 22 dyn/cm or smaller at the operation temperature of the medium. This power device can be actuated by being engaged in a box.
It provides use of the above mentioned medium defined as a driving liquid, in particular to drive an actuator, a pump or a motor.
According to this invention, the moving flow of the above mentioned medium can be formed and used as driving power in various fields. It includes for example a cooling method comprising bringing the moving flow of the low temperature medium into contact with a high temperature-having part and then a heating method comprising bringing the moving flow of the high temperature medium into contact with a low temperature-having part.
In other words, this invention is a method of moving the above mentioned medium by voltage application. This moving liquid is utilized as a driving power. This power can rotate the rotor and also rotate the rotor in reaction by forming the medium""s moving flow on the rotor wing. It is possible to wash or transport material by using the moving flow itself. The heat transfer is also possible using this.
It is desirable that the above mentioned homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium is difficultly flammable or non-flammable, not having the flash point substantially.
The electro-sensitive movable medium of this invention contains the liquid organic compound having at least 3 halogen atoms, especially fluorine atoms, in the molecule and this electro-sensitive movable medium is difficultly flammable or non-flammable, not having the flash point substantially. About this homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium the electro conductivity at the operation temperature is in the range of 4xc3x9710xe2x88x9210xcx9c5xc3x9710xe2x88x926 S/m, being an insulation liquid substantially. And, the surface tension of the homogeneous electro-sensitive movable medium at the operation temperature is 22 dyn/cm or smaller, which contains the liquid organic compound having at least 3 halogen atoms, especially fluorine atoms, in the molecule.
Then, the lower the surface tension is, the better moving flow the electro-sensitive movable medium can evidently form by a voltage application.
Thereupon, surface tensions of many kinds of liquids were measured. Many normal hydrocarbon compounds have much higher surface tensions than 22 dyn/cm.
In relation between properties for the electro-sensitive movable medium and the surface tension, when the voltage is applied to the liquid having a surface tension of 22 dyn/cm or smaller, the moving flow is formed very finely. In general, when a hydrogen atom(s) bonded to a carbon atom is replaced with a halogen atom in the molecule, the surface tension decreases. This effect is greater when the electro negativity of the halogen atom is larger and the greatest effect is obtained when the halogen atom is a fluorine atom.
Thus, the organic liquid which is replaced for at least 3 or more hydrogen atoms bonded to the carbon atoms with halogen atoms, especially fluorine atoms, has a low surface tension property. Also, when the liquid having a surface tension of 22 dyn/cm or smaller is the halogen containing compound, especially the fluorine containing compound, this compound is difficulty flammable or non-flammable, not having the flash point substantially. It has very excellent characteristics and properties for the electro-sensitive movable medium.